National Party of Haiti

The National Party was a liberal political party in Haiti which existed from 1870 to 1913. The party was formed as the representative of the black majority in the country, rivaling the mulatto-dominated Liberal Party of Haiti. The party, unlike the Liberals, supported the disenfranchised rural masses and the black majority, denounced mulatto control of political and economic interests in Haiti, and challenged the belief that there was no racial prejudice in the country. However, like the Liberals, the National Party firmly insisted that Haiti be run by an elite cadre of educated individuals, and both parties were motivated by their own racisms. In 1879, Lysius Salomon was the first National president, and its last president was Tancrede Auguste, who left power in 1913.